Page 8 of Wicked Ambition

For some reason, though, she trusted him.

She shouldn’t. Trusting him with her body was much different from trusting him with her sister’s safety. Her thoughtsblurred again as memories of that night resurfaced, and she had to push them away.

A mercenary. She’d spent the night having wild sex with a man who was in Puerto Jardin working as a mercenary. This was why she never—almost never—did things impulsively. Her sister was the spontaneous one, the one who leaped without looking first. And sometimes Ayla needed to come in and pick up the pieces.

It was why she’d hopped on a plane and flown nine hours from Los Angeles to the Puerto Jardinese capital of Rio Blanco. Io would have enjoyed the flight. She would have eaten the meals, watched a few movies, probably chatted with her seatmates, and taken a nap. Not Ayla. She’d clutched the armrests and her stomach had been too upset to eat. Sleeping was out of the question. Someone had to will the plane to stay in the air.

“Did your sister manage to tell you what kind of trouble she was in?” Oz asked.

Ayla forced herself to meet his gaze again, to focus on their conversation. It wasn’t easy when her thoughts and emotions felt so fractured. She wasn’t about to admit she was here because she had a psychic connection to her twin. He’d think she was a lunatic. “No, I have no idea what’s going on. None of that matters,” she added fiercely. “I’m not abandoning my sister.”

“Relax, Pollita. I’m not going to put you on a plane back home.”

He didn’t use the wordyet,but Ayla heard it and glared. It amused Oz. She could see it in his eyes even if his face remained impassive. Her emotions really were all over the place, and she didn’t like it. She prided herself on being even-keeled. Damn adrenaline.

“Good, because I’d have to fly back, and I don’t want to spend more time in the air than I absolutely have to.”

His lips twitched, but Oz didn’t laugh. “Okay,” he said. “You don’t know where in Puerto Jardin your sister was when she contacted you and you don’t know what kind of trouble she’s in. What informationdoyou have?”

Ayla frowned but told Oz the truth. “I gave you everything I know.”

His intensity level ratcheted up. “Are you telling me that you traveled all this way and what you know is that your sister was assigned to take some pictures of ruins near San Isidro and that she’s in trouble? Is that what you just told me?”

“I know. It’s not much to go on, but she’s my twin.” He continued to stare at her. “What was I going to do? Call the State Department and tell them what I just told you? They’d laugh at me. And the US doesn’t have an embassy in Puerto Jardin any longer.”

“Yeah. Shit.” He ran a hand over the back of his neck. “Let me guess. Your only plan was to head to San Isidro and ask questions.”

“If I admit that, you’ll think I’m stupid, so I’m not confirming it.”

Oz smiled and Ayla felt her stomach turn over. He was sexy enough when he was taciturn. The boyish grin was too much. She tightened her hands into fists to prevent herself from reaching out and running her hand along his jaw. From the moment she’d met him, she’d been attracted—crazily attracted—and she didn’t like it any more now than she had then.

“I’m not going to call you stupid. Someone you love needs help, and there’s no one to contact to take care of the situation. Of course, you’re going to do what you can.” Oz shook his head. “Let me guess—you’re the oldest, right?”

Nodding, Ayla said, “By around ten minutes, but my sister and I have always looked out for each other.” She nearly explained why but stopped herself. It was too personal. Sure,they’d spent the night in bed together, but in the grand scheme of things, it didn’t mean much. For damn sure, it didn’t give her insight into his character or whether she wanted to share family things with him.

Before she could stop it, Ayla recalled the brush of his fingers over her skin, the teasing kisses, the orgasms that were so intense, she’d needed to cling to him, and the way he’d held her afterward. Her body heated and readied itself for him even though Oz hadn’t touched her.

“Can you direct me to a hotel in a safe part of the city?” she asked. There might be a slight note of panic in her voice, but if she was thinking about replaying that night with Oz, it was definitely time to get away from him.

“When we finish talking, I’ll take you to a good hotel.”

“What more is there to say?” Ayla kept her voice even with effort. The more time she spent around him, the greater the risk she’d do something idiotic. Her control was tenuous, and the adrenaline swings weren’t helping anything.

“Why don’t we sit down?” Oz suggested, gesturing toward the bench beside them.

“Why?”

He raised his eyebrows, maybe over the suspicion in her voice, but he didn’t comment on that. “Because you’re shaking, and I don’t want to pick you up off the ground.”

It was only then that Ayla realized she was trembling. “It’s the damn adrenaline.”

“I know, Ayla.” His voice was kind. “Sit down, so you don’t fall down.”

She did. “This is embarrassing,” she muttered once she was seated.

Sitting beside her, Oz said, “Don’t be embarrassed. It’s natural. Are you up to hearing a few hard facts about San Isidro, or do I need to wait?”

Ayla wanted to say of course she could hear about San Isidro, but since his voice sounded muffled, it would be a lie. Moving her head made the world spin. A warm, sick feeling filled her, radiating from her stomach outward.

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